The HIP contains a number of compulsory elements, including an energy performance certificate (EPC), legal documents relating to the title of the property, local authority and drainage searches, and a property information questionnaire (PIQ).

The EPC shows how energy efficient your property is, as well as indicating its potential rating should the assessor’s suggested improvements be made.

On April 6 2009, it became compulsory to include a PIQ in the HIP. This is completed by the seller and provides information such as council tax banding and whether structural alterations have been made.

It is possible to incorporate other documents into your HIP, but these are at your discretion.

My property is leasehold, is there anything else I need?

For leasehold properties, a copy of the lease must be included in the HIP. The PIQ will contain information on ground rent, service charges and other practical details.

How much does a HIP cost?

The price of HIPs varies depending on the supplier, whether your home is leasehold or freehold and in some cases, the size or value of the property.

As well as taking the cost into account, you should also ensure that any company you instruct is registered with the HIP Code, the industry’s regulating body.

How do I get a HIP?

Your estate agent is, in the eyes of the law ‘responsible’ for ensuring that there is a fully compliant HIP in place before your property is marketed and if any errors are found, they could face a £200 fine.

If you are not using an estate agent, you can obtain a HIP through a solicitor or dedicated provider. However, if you market the property yourself, you also become a ‘responsible person’ and you too could face the same penalty if the HIP does not come up to scratch.

What is a property information questionnaire (PIQ)?

It is now compulsory to include a PIQ in the HIP and a property cannot be marketed until it has been completed. Your estate agent or pack provider will explain how this is to be done.

PIQs were introduced to make sure that some basic information about the property is provided before it goes on the market. Unfortunately this process partly duplicates the legal process, which will undoubtedly cause frustration to sellers, as it increases the paperwork.

What does the energy performance certificate include?

The energy performance certificate (EPC) provides customers with information about the energy efficiency of their property. It gives the building a rating, showing its environmental impact and recommends measures to improve its performance.

A domestic energy assessor or home inspector will prepare the EPC. They are accredited and regulated by a scheme approved by the Secretary of State, who is accountable for ensuring the quality of EPCs.

How long does my HIP last?

The HIP is valid until the property has been sold and there is no requirement to update any of the information in the pack. It is even valid for the first year if the property is taken off the market.

How long will a HIP take to obtain?

The information that must go into a HIP in order to put the property on the market should be available in five working days or less. The remaining data does not need to be available before the property is marketed. This includes the searches, as well as the leasehold and unregistered title documents.

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